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Sen. Joel Anderson wants state agencies to stop impeding tribal proposals to annex land, citing the Attorney General’s protest against a pending application by the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Nation for use of 1,350 acres near El Cajon for housing, an RV Park and equestrian center.

The La Mesa Republican has introduced legislation that would prohibit state officials from speaking out against tribal government requests to add land to their reservations — a process called “fee to trust.”

Anderson said his measure only involves applications filed with the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs for housing, environmental protection or cultural preservation — not affecting casino proposals, which could still be questioned by the state.

State officials have been routinely “putting a stick in the spokes for no reason just because they can,” Anderson says. His goal is consistency for tribes, rather than not knowing which state agency might oppose an application or why.

There is mounting opposition to Anderson’s Senate Bill 162 from community activists, at least two members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, a coalition of California counties and Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. On Friday, even the Sycuan tribe came out against it.

“The state is being muzzled,” said Patricia Riggs, a member of the Dehesa Valley Community Council, who lives near the Sycuan tribal land.

Feinstein warned that if the bill becomes law, state officials would be silenced from raising alarms over projects that threaten to harm endangered species, pollute water, overtax roads or heighten fire dangers. Anderson says those concerns would still be aired through the federal review.

San Diego County Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Bill Horn plan to push the full board to come out against the legislation Tuesday.

In a memo, they said authorities have to be in a position to challenge land acquisitions because of the potential impact on traffic, the environment and the county’s tax rolls.

Sycuan came out against the Anderson proposal late Friday — key opposition. Anderson could not be reached to say whether he will still push the bill.

“Sycuan was not consulted on this proposal (by Anderson) and we are opposed to this bill,” said Adam Day, Sycuan’s assistant tribal manager. “The federal fee to trust process is complex and certainly in need of reform. However, Sycuan has worked hard to address all of the concerns raised by the state, county and local government and we are pleased that they do not oppose our land application.”

Anderson’s measure faces its first Capitol test before the Assembly Governmental Organization Wednesday.

Harris has not taken a position on the bill, but in November she did file a letter with the Bureau of Indian Affairs objecting to the Sycuan application. That letter is part of the case Anderson had been building for his measure.

“Nothing in the application demonstrates that trust acquisition is necessary to allow the band to develop the land in the manner it desires,” she wrote.

Silencing state officials who might have objections to tribal proposals would be unconstitutional, said Cheryl Schmit, director of a gambling watchdog group called Stand Up for California.

“This bill has serious separation of powers issues and is an affront to free speech rights,” Schmit said.

Anderson said there are just too many instances of agencies opposing these “fee to trust” applications with the Bureau of Indian Affairs even though the local counties were in support.

Tribes in San Diego County, such as the Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and the Pala Band of Mission, sent short letters in support of the legislation.

David Keyser, chairman of the United Indian Auburn Community that operates an off-reservation casino and hotel called Thunder Valley near Sacramento, said in a letter that “without careful consideration of the tribe’s perspective, agencies can rush in without full knowledge of the purpose of the acquisition.”